Secretive, Versatile, Tenacious Hunter… The Brown Goshawk

By Em Allen on July 19, 2013 in

Brown Goshawks are secretive birds of prey. Their natural habitat includes forest and woodland country but they are also seen in more open areas including golf courses, parks, gardens and coastal scrublands in the Sydney region, where they are uncommon residents. Most of the time they are shy and unobtrusive birds that sit alone for long periods in the shade, and in dense cover where they are easily overlooked.

Occasionally one might be seen out in the open, perched obviously on the top bar of a gate or on a fence post, motionless despite the attention of a niggling Willie Wagtail. On still, sunny days in spring and autumn they soar high in the air with wings slightly raised, sometimes accompanied by tight flocks of Galahs or Common Starlings that panic and bunch in their presence. Their direct flight is usually level and low, with a few short flaps interspersed with glides, between patches of cover.

Goshawks are medium-size, powerfully built hawks with short rounded wings and long rounded tails. The females are as big as currawongs and much bigger on average than the males, which are about the same size as magpies. Adults have a menacing appearance with piercing bright yellow eyes surmounted by prominent brows. Their upper parts are bluish or brownish grey with a grey-brown collar and under parts are cream with chestnut bars. Immature birds are dark brown above and whitish below, heavily streaked brown on the breast and barred brown on the belly; their legs and eyes become yellow as they mature.

Brown Goshawks inhabit most types of timbered country within their geographical range. They prefer open forest and woodland, and utilise tree-lined creeks, gullies and waterholes less commonly. They are residents and partial migrants in suitable habitats throughout mainland Australia and Tasmania, and also on islands to the north of the mainland including New Guinea and most of Indonesia.

They are versatile and persistent hunters with mammals as big as rabbits, and birds the size of magpies, on their menu; they also eat reptiles, insects and carrion, but these normally only contribute a relatively small part of their total food intake. The females kill bigger prey than do the males. Typically Goshawks glide or dash out from cover to take prey on the ground or from a perch, or they engage in reckless low-level contour-hugging pursuits.

Brown Goshawks are not easy to see, but they are reasonably common and widespread in suitable country and have probably benefitted from the introduction of rabbits and starlings from Europe. Historically they have been persistently shot and trapped as bold and tenacious predators of free-range poultry and racing pigeons, and as undesirable visitors to aviaries. Nevertheless, their numbers appear to have increased significantly over the last 30 years or so, despite illegal persecution by poultry keepers and pigeon fanciers. Intensive logging might not have helped them locally either, but moderate extensive land clearance has been positive for Goshawks. Overall they appear to be successful, safe and secure and of no conservation concern.